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Wednesday night temps dipped to record lows for mid-May! Overnight Berlin was 19 and North Conway 24. YIKES I was glad that I covered up my tarragon plants, even tho they did winter over through the brutally cold winter we just had. I had put in spinach, lettuce, beans and peas and was glad I hadn't put in anything like squash, tomatoes and basil! And yesterday was darn chilly too - windy and low 60's in spite of the sun.
Today was gorgeous so I drove up into Crawford Notch at around 9 just for fun. It was 40 when I left and 42 up at the Dry River Campground at 9:45. I did a short video which as always is on Instagram and Facebook. FYI Sawyer River Road, Bear Notch, Mt Clinton and Passaconaway Roads are all open, tho Evans Notch and Hurricane Mountain Roads are not.
JOCKEY CAP::
I like going to Jockey Cap early in the season and I did manage to get there a few days ago with Tom Callaghan. I led what is called the Barge Variation (5.6) which starts on the left toe, climbs a slab, steps around the wall and arete to the flake up to an anchor. It's a very aesthetic climb that I really like. Then Tom led all the nice little sport routes in the dish at the top. If you haven't been there I highly recommend it. Here is a little topo of the area that Brad White gave me years ago and a PDF of the bouldering that someone else gave me many years ago. Enjoy...
Selected Ice Conditions effective February 19, 2026
Just as you would expect following Ice Fest AND a week of truly balmy temps, going to be upper 30's today, the ice can be a mixed bag. I saw someone post about how things are terrible. But digging into it, I realized they were talking about places like the North End that are very well used. It probably gets the most use of all. There are only a few places that have really easy access to moderate climbing and where you can set up a bunch of top-ropes. So that's not unexpected. And of course the climbs that are getting a lot of full sun are getting somewhat punked-out. On my way back from Wolfeboro mid-afternoon a few days ago I took a look at Rainbow Slabs which look as if they are getting pretty funky. And I watched a hunk of the bottom of Way In The Wilderness fall down! IMO it's really the time to start paying attention to what you're walking underneath, any time of the day. Enjoy this weather, but keep paying attention...
Huntington Ravine
numerous options
Repentance
iffy
Standard Route
GREAT conditions
Dracula
IN & very fat
For the full current conditions report, CLICK
HERE
INSTANT BUG REPORT - 1:
The blackflys ARE definitely swarming and there are mosquitos here & there in spite of the colder temps.
VALLEY CYCLING:
I rode Marshall on Tuesday and it was overall quite good. Then today I rode on the east side and did Rattlesnake and Swamp with 2 passes on the Swenson trail. There were a couple of places where I cleared branches and tree limbs, but overall the riding was great. That said, there are places in lower elevations where, even 10 days after the big rains, we still have standing water. Many of the trails in the Hurricane Zone are open now, but some still have ruts so you should be aware.
Mobile Version Of NEClimbs:
Up on one of the Mount Washington Valley's finest crags and want to know what that climb you're looking at is? Or maybe you're on your way up from Boston and want to check out the Ice Report for your upcoming weekend plans. Or more likely, you're at work just want to daydream about your next adventure. Well if you have a smart phone handy, you can get to NEClimbs from anywhere you have cell service. While it doesn't offer every single feature of the site and it's not an "app", in mobile form, it does do a whole lot and is very useful. Here is the live link to the mobile version of NEClimbs:
Check it out and if you have issues on your specific phone, please feel free to let me know.
NEClimbs & White Mountain Report On Facebook:
Join us and LIKE us on Facebook. I'll try and post interesting pix every Thursday and the latest Ice Report in the season, tho certainly not the whole Report. Here's where you can check it out:
Remember - climb hard, ride the steep stuff, stay safe and above all BE NICE,
Al Hospers
The White Mountain Report
North Conway, New Hampshire
Real Programmers don't play tennis, or any sport that requires you to change clothes. Mountain climbing is OK, and real programmers always wear their climbing boots to work in case a mountain should suddenly spring up in the middle of a machine room.
Climbing is a very dangerous sport. You can get hurt or even kill yourself. When you go climbing, you do so of your own free will. Everything on this site is to be taken with a grain of salt. Don't blame us if you get up some totally heinous route, in over your head and fall and hurt yourself.
